After many days of reading on international law and the cries of ivory-tower academicians for more responsible international institutions, I arrived at a tome that perfectly encapsulated what I was looking for to relax my mind: a book of pirate tactics, stories, sociology and custom in the period of high seas piracy and raiding.
Have you ever thought about how pirates paid insurance to the families of their crews, or how there are 3 basic types of ship combat (in the 17th and 18th century, anyways)? I have, and this book delivers in spades the insights on maritime and piratic life that one such as myself simply sinks into, hypnotized.
Differences between buccaneers, corsairs, pirates, rovers, privateers and brigands are all explained in no small amount of detail, as are the myriad social complexities that arise out of an economy dependent on plunder. Definitely one of the most entertaining books I've read this year, and with solid research to boot. Most definitely a BANGER OF THE WEEK.
10/10